I only have "Geekish Tendencies."

How about you?

There's a Reason They Call it the Red Eye

Reason #1: No Blanket
Reason #2: No Pillows
Reason #2: Loud, naggy couples seated in the row behind you
Reason #4: Your neighbor's air turned on full blast and pointing at your legs, making it impossible to get and stay warm: see Reason #1.

I love JetBlue. I love that they have a direct flight from Dulles to Long Beach. I love that it's cheap and easy and you can check in online and print your boarding pass from the kiosk in the airport. I love the choice of snacks they give you. I am not so fond, however, of the lack of pillows and/or blankets. Really, one or the other would be nice, I don't need both. On the whole, though, it was a nice flight, and for the price, I guess you can't really expect pillows. I guess. I landed at 5:20 AM and was home by 6:30. It took me about four minutes and thirty seconds to collapse on my bed and fall asleep. I woke up refreshed and smelling very distinctly of Stuffy Airplane Cabin, which is alright if you're in a stuffy airplane cabin, but not so nice if you're at home in your own bed. I examined my back and was pleased to find that my cranberry burn has faded to a lovely lobster bisque color, a color I might consider painting my walls if I were allowed to paint my walls.

LA was a nice break, a good vacation with friends and food and sun and beach and weddings and freeways and shopping. I remembered why I love SoCal: the food and the attitude and the individualism and the weather, the WEATHER, and the easy life. I don't feel like it's my home anymore, although I can still drive like a local, and I realized how much I like being home in DC. I like being a regular at the Cuban place down the street. I like that I drive by the Jefferson Memorial every day on my commute to work. I like meeting people who think like I think, and feeling like I fit. I like having my church and my friends from all over who happen to be passing through, and I like that, finally, my mailing address and my permanent address are the same.

That said, I'm still considering grad school at UCLA just because it's in LA.

My Recommended Summer Friday Itinerary.

Friday, July 14

4 AM: Wake up to BBC blaring on the radio. Decide you can sleep just 5 more minutes.

4:45 AM: Jump frantically out of bed, pull on clothes, grab the (pre-packed, thankfully) carry on.

5:15 AM: Drive to Dulles

6:00 AM: Check in at Jet Blue kiosk.

6:05 AM: Walk approximately 4.5 miles to Gate B36.

6:30 AM: Board Plane.

6:31 AM: Fall asleep.

9:20 AM, PST: Wake up. Exit plane and find yourself in happy, sunny, Long Beach Airport.

9:21 AM: Be greeted by Lori. Yay!

10:30 AM: Eat Big, Delicious French Sandwich at C'est Si Bon. Meander to Lori's cute apartment.

11 AM Meander around said cute apartment.

11:15 AM: Ride ferry to Balboa Island. Eat Chocolate-dipped strawberry. Eat Cold Stone Ice Cream. Buy red Flip Flops. Get whooped 7-2 by Lori the Air Hockey Queen.

Somewhere around 1?: Ride ferry back to Newport. Decide to go to beach.

2 PM: Go to beach. Test the water. Decide it is Cold. Build sand dragons. Build sand castle. Sand Castle!

Watch cute little kids building sandcastles. Make Sand Chair. Lie in sun. Fall asleep. Wake up to find a cute but vicious child thoroughly destroying your sandcastle. Watch him make his way across the beach systematically destroying every sandcastle in sight. Nickname him Hurricane Steven.
Behold, Hurricane Steven:

5 PM: Get hungry. Wonder if you're sunburned.

6 PM: Buy groceries for dinner. Begin to realize that you are, in fact, very sunburned. Buy Aloe.



7 PM: Grill meat. Meat! Mmm, meat! Also grill asparagus. Try to grill potatoes but fail.



7:50 PM: Eat meat with tongs because you forgot to bring forks. Feel very primal. Wish you had room to eat more meat because it is so tasty.





8:50 PM Admire sunset over Newport Beach.



9 PM: Realize that you are very, very sunburned. Go home. Watch Stargate.

10 PM: Fall asleep.